Safety lock for firearms



Jan. 20, 1953 R. MAGARO SAFETY LOCK FOR FIREARMS 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 FiledJan. 23, 1951 INVENTOR. PdBEET 4 MAG/7E0,

Jan. 20, 1953 R. MAGARO SAFETY LOOK FOR FIREARMS 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 FiledJan. 25, 1951 m m m m B05597 Z. M46'4P0,

ATTOIQ/VEYS.

Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY LOCK FORFIREARMS Robert L. Magaro,Marysville, Pa.

Application January 23, 1951, Serial No. 207,368

1 Claim.

This invention relates to safety locks for firearms, and moreparticularly to a safety lock for a shoulder-supported firearm, such asa shotgun or rifle.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved safetylock for a shoulder-supported firearm, such as a shotgun or rifle, whichwill lock the firing mechanism of the gun against operation except whenpressure is applied to the shoulder-engaging end of the gun stock; whichwill maintain the firing mechanism locked against operation while thegun is in an inverted or vertically upended position; which can beapplied to an existing gun without materially changing the appearance oroperation of thegun; and which is simple and durable in construction,economical to manufacture, easy to install, and automatic in operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following description and the appended claim in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a shotgun equipped with safetylocking mechanism illustrative of the invention, a portion of the gunbeing broken away and shown in cross-section to illustrate theapplication of the locking mechanism thereto;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view 7 on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the distal end of the gun stock;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional viewon an enlarged scale on theline 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale onthe line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a view on an enlarged scale of a fragmentary portion of thestructure illustrated in Figure 1, showing strctural details;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale of a fragmentaryportion of the structure shown in Figure 1, showing additionalstructural details;

Figure 8 is a transverse cross-sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure1; and

Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of a gravity-actuated lock-ingdog assembly constituting an operative component of the safety lockmechanism of the invention.

With continued reference to the drawings, the

gun illustrated in Figure 1 may be a shotgun of conventionalconstruction having a stock It pro videdat one end with a neck I I, abreech mechanism l2 mounted on the neck II at one end of the stock It)and including a housing l3 enclosing "24 and the inner portion 25 of therecess.

of the housing 13 to lock the barrel structure M in firing positionrelative to the breech assembly 12 or release the barrel structure forbreaking action about the axis of the pivot pin l6, andtriggers l8 andI9 pivotally mounted in the housing l3 and projecting from the underside of the housing into a trigger guard 20.

While the gun has various other operative components, well known to theart, a more detailed description of the conventional parts of the gun isconsidered unnecessary for the pur- "of releasing the firing pins forfiring the gun.

A recess is provided in the gun stock H! at the end of the latter remotefrom the breech assembly I 2 and comprises an outer part 24 opening tothe distal end of the stock, and a rounded inner portion 25 extendinginwardly of the stock from the inner end of the outer portion. 24.

The recess portion 24 is of somewhat elliptical shape corresponding tothe elevational shape of the distal end of the gun stock, and terminatesinwardly of the stock at an annular shoulder 25 which surrounds a neckbetween the outer portion A shoulder 21 substantially parallel to thesurface lot the distal end of the gun stock extends around the recessportion 24 between the distal end of and is secured under the ring 3i!to limit movements of the plate 28 outwardly of the recess.

Compression springs, as indicated at 32 and 33,

are disposed between the inner side of the plate 28 and the gun stock atthe inner side of the outer portion of the recess to resiliently urgethe plate 28 outwardly of the recess to the extent permitted by theflexible cover 3|.

In the arrangement illustrated, the springs 32 and 33 are partiallyreceived in wells or recesses provided in the annular shoulder 21 in thegun stock intermediate the depth of the outer portion 24 of the recessand are also partially received in hollow bosses, as indicated at 34,extending inwardly from the inner side of the plate 28. The ends of thesprings 32 and 33 remote from the plate 26 bear against suitableabutments, a indicated at 35, disposed in the spring-receiving recessesin the gun stock near the inner ends of these recesses.

A stem 36 is secured at one end to the inner side of the plate 38 andprojects substantially perpendicularly from the plate through the neckbetween the recess portions 24 and 25 and into the inner portion 25 ofthe recess. A plate 31 is mounted on the shoulder 26 between the innerand outer portions of the recess and is provided with an aperturethrough which the stem 36 extends. The aperture in the plate 31 issurrounded by a transversely curved bead 38 and a plurality ofanti-friction ball elements 39 are disposed in this bead and bearagainst the stem 36 to provide an anti-friction bearing between theplate 31 and the stem 36 for sliding movements of the stem relative tothe plate.

The stock I9 is provided with a bore 46 which extends from the inner endof the inner portion 25 of the recess longitudinally of the stock to anopening 4| provided in the rear wall 22 of the housing I3 adjacent thelatch arm 2|, and a rod 42 extends through the bore 46 and connects thelatch dog 23 to the stem 36. The corresponding end of the rod ispivotally secured to the latch dog at the side of the arm 2| remote fromthe triggers l8 and [9 by a construction including a fork provided onthe corresponding end of the rod and having terminal eyes disposed atrespectively opposite sides of the latch dog and a pivot pin 43extending through registering apertures in the eyes of thi fork and inthe latch dog .23. At its other end the rod is secured to the inner endof the stem 36 by suitable means, such as the screw-thread connection44.

With this arrangement, the springs 32 and 33 urge the plate 28 outwardlyof the recess portion 24 to a limiting position in which the plate holdsthe rod 42 in position such that the latch dog engages the triggers l8and I9 and locks the triggers in their non-firing position, thus lockingthe firing mechanism of the gun against operation. When pressure isapplied to the shoulder pad 29 to overcome the force of the springs 32and 33, as by placing the gun against the shoulder in firing position,the plate 28 is forced inwardly of the recess in the gun stock, the rod42 is forced forwardly and the latch dog 23 is turned about its pivotalconnection with the distal end of the arm 2| until it is free of thetriggers I8 and [9, thus releasing the triggers for operation to firethe gun.

A transverse bore 45 is provided in the gun stock extending from theinner recess portion 25 at the inner end of the latter to the normallylower edge of the gun stock substantially perpendicular to the bore 46,and a pin 46 i slidably mounted in the bore 45. At its inner end, thepin 46 is beveled, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1, and the rod 42 isprovided at the inner end of the pin 4 46 with a beveled notch 41providing a shoulder with which the inner end of the pin 46 engages.

When the inner end of the pin 46 is engaged in the notch 41, the rod 42cannot be moved by pressure on the shoulder pad 29 to release the latchdog 23 from the triggers of the gun. The gun is thus positively lockedin safety or non-firing condition until the pin 46 is manually moved.The outer end of pin 46 is provided with a flange or cap 48 received ina recess 49 in the gun stock surrounding the outer end of the bore 45,and a leaf spring 50 is secured at one end to the stock and extends intothe outer end of the bore 45 alongside the pin 46 near the outer end ofthe latter. This spring 50 has protrusions thereon selectivelyengageable in a recess in the pin 46 to hold the pin in either a lockingor a releasing position relative to the rod 42, the pin being manuallymovable between these two positions.

A step 5| is provided in the inner portion 25 of the recess at the innerend of this inner portion, and a hinge plate 52 is secured to this stepand extends transversely of the recess substantially at right angles tothe rod 42. A pendulum 53 is pivotally secured at one end of the plate52 for swinging movement about an axis perpendicular to a planeextending between the top and bottom edges of said stock and along thelongitudinal center line of the latter, and comprises two spaced-apartand substantially parallel legs disposed at respectively opposite sidesof the rod 42. At their ends remote from the pivotal connection with theplate 52, these legs are provided with arcuately curved, offset portions54 engageable with the arcuately curved inner end surface 55 of the stem36 when the gun is disposed in an inverted or in a muzzle-up positionwith the curved inner end surface of the stem 36 to lock the stem 36 androd 42 against movement in a direction to move the latch dog 23 totrigger-releasing position.

The plate 52 and pendulum 53 are particularly illustrated in Figure 9,and the plate 52 comprises a pair of spaced-apart apertured lugs 56 and51 receiving screws 58 which secure the plate to the stem 5| provided inthe recess portion 25, and a cylindrical sleeve or eye portionintersected by notches to provide an intermediate portion 58 and endportions 59 and 60 spaced from the adjacent ends of the intermediateportion.

The pendulum 53 comprises the spaced-apart and substantially parallellegs 6| and 62 provided on the corresponding ends with cylindrical eyes63 and 64 received in the notches between the intermediate portion andthe end portions of the cylindrical sleeve formation on the plate 52. Apivot or hinge pin 65 extends through the sleeve portions 58, 59 and 6Dand through the eyes 63 and 64 on the ends of the pendulum legs 6| and62 to pivotally secure the pendulum to the plate 52. A crossbar 65extends between and is connected at its opposite ends to the pendulumlegs 6| and 62 near the ends of these legs remote from the eyes 63 and64, and the arcuately curved, ofiset portions of the pendulum extendsubstantially perpendicularly from these distal ends of the legs 6| and62 and terminate at their outer ends in rounded weights 66 and 61.

With this arrangement, if the gun is held in a substantially horizontalposition and is inverted so that the trigger guard 2!] is at the upperside of the gun, as frequently happens when the gun is being carriedthrough a fence or over an obstruction in hunting, the pendulum 53 willswing about the pivot pin 65, so that the arcuately curved portions ofthe pendulum will drop in behind the inner end 55 of the stem 36 andlock the stem against inward movement to release the triggers. The gunthus cannot be fired while held in such an inverted position. Thecrossbar 65 will engage the rod 42 to limit swinging movement of thependulum in the locking direction. Also, when the gun is heldsubstantially vertically with its muzzle end up, the pendulum will swingin behind the inner end of the stem 36 and prevent firing of the gunwhile held in this position, even though the pressure of the shoulderpad 29 against the ground would ordinarily free the firing mechanism ofthe gun.

It is contemplated that when the gun is to be sharply elevated forfiring at a high angle, the shoulder pad 29 will be brought against theshoulder before the gun is elevated, and the stem 36 will thus be movedinwardly before the pendulum 53 is swung to engage the stem and thependulum cannot thereafter move into locking engagement with the stem,thus leaving the firing mechanism free for firing the gun at the highangle of elevation.

The gun equipped with the safety lock of the present invention is thusnormally locked against firing, is automatically released for firingwhen the gun butt is pressed against the shoulder in firing position ofthe gun, is automatically locked against release for firing when the gunis in either an inverted or a muzzle-up position and can be manuallylocked against release for firing in any position of the gun.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofthe claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

In a gun having a stock, a breech assembly mounted on one end of saidstock and including a housing and a trigger pivotally mounted in saidhousing, a shoulder plate mounted on the other end of said stock andmovable toward and away from the adjacent end of the stock, and springmeans resiliently urging said shoulder plate to its limiting positionaway from the adjacent end of said stock, said stock having a recesstherein opening to said other end thereof and including an outer portionadjacent said shoulder plate and a curved inner portion extendinglongitudinally of said stock from said outer portion and said stockhaving a bore extending longitudinally therethrough from the inner endof the inner portion of said recess to said breech assembly, a

latch pivotally mounted in said housing and engageable with said triggerto lock the latter in non-firing position, a stem secured at one end tosaid shoulder plate and extending through the outer portion into theinner portion of said recess, a rod extending through said bore andconnected at one end to said latch and at its other end to said stem atsaid other end of the latter, said rod moving said latch into lockingengagement with said trigger when said shoulder plate is moved by saidspring means to its limiting pOSition away from the adjacent end of saidstock and moving said latch out of engagement with said trigger whensaid shoulder plate is forced toward the adjacent end of said stockagainst the force of said spring means and said stem having an abutmentsurface on said other end thereof, a hinge plate secured in said innerrecess portion at the end of the latter remote from said outer portion,and a pendulum hingedly connected at one end to said hinge plate forswinging movement about an axis perpendicular to a plane extendingbetween the top and bottom edges of said stock and along thelongitudinal center line thereof and having its other end disposed atthe side of said stem adjacent the bottom edge of said stock andprovided with a surface engaging the abutment surface on said stem whenthe gun is in any position other than its upright firing position tothereby hold said shoulder plate against movement toward the adjacentend of said stock and hold said latch in looking engagement with saidtrigger, said pendulum including two spaced apart legs disposed atrespectively opposite sides of said rod and provided at their distalends with arcuately curved offset portions engageable with the abutmentsurface on said stem, a hinge eye formation at the proximal end of saidpendulum, and a cross bar extending between said legs intermediate thelength thereof.

ROBERT L. MAGARO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 995,098 Schweinitz June 13, 19111,098,048 Neary May 26, 1914 1,210,459 Gile Jan. 2, 1917 1,212,012Bulgakow Jan. 9, 1917 2,041,661 Lepp May 19, 1936 2,273,204 KneubuehlFeb. 1'7, 1942 2,401,034 Young May 28, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 16,930 Great Britain A. D. 1884 52,678 Germany July '7,1890 13,634 France Mar. 15, 1911

